The University of Zaragoza-Spain (UNIZAR) is one of the oldest (500 years) and most prestigious Spanish universities. The UNIZAR coordinates the Excellence Campus Iberus considered as one of the leading Research & Education areas in Spain.
The Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA), originally located at the Institute of Nanoscience of Aragón-INA, and Institute belonging to the University is merged with the Aragón Materials Science Institute (ICMA) that is a Joint Research Institute of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and University of Zaragoza and represents a unique initiative that was recognized in 2014 by the Spanish government as a Joint National Facility: ICTS.
EQUIPMENT:
(1) TitanG2-80-300keV
Relevant details: This Transmission Electron Microscope works either in TEM or in STEM modes at voltages between 60 and 300 kV. It can be used at low voltage to analyse electron irradiation sensitive materials. It is fitted with the last generation of a high brightness Schotky emitter developed by FEI (the so called “X-FEG” gun), a monochromator, and a Gatan 2k x 2k CCD camera. It is specially dedicated to structural- chemical analysis.
– In STEM mode:As this microscope is devoted for STEM and EELS experiments, it is equipped with a CESCOR Cs-probe corrector from CEOS Company allowing for the formation of an electron probe of 0.09 nm mean size. The TEM is equipped with all the STEM facilities (BF, DF, ADF and HAADF detectors) and 0.09 nm spatial resolution has indeed been achieved in STEM-HAADF mode.
– EELS and EDS: For EELS experiments, the microscope is fitted with a Gatan Energy Filter Tridiem 866 ERS and a monochromator. An energy resolution of 0.14 eV can be achieved with this setup. In addition, an EDS (EDAX) detector allows performing EDX experiments in scanning mode with a spatial resolution of about ~0.2 nm.
(2) Titan3 80-300keV-Image corrected
Relevant details: This Transmission Electron Microscope works at voltages between 60 and 300 kV. It is located in a “box” (cube) to avoid mechanical and thermal perturbations. It has a normal FEG (Shottky emitter) and a Gatan 2k x 2k CCD camera for (HR)TEM images acquisition. The main working modes in this microscope are:
– HREM: since this microscope is devoted for High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) studies, it is equipped with a SuperTwin® objective lens and a CETCOR Cs-objective corrector from CEOS Company allowing a point to point resolution of 0.09 nm.
– STEM: In addition, this Titan3 is equipped with the basic STEM facilities (BF, DF detectors) for STEM imaging at medium resolution.
– EELS: a Gatan Energy Filter Tridiem 863 allows Titan3 to perform EELS experiments in a standard and routine way (energy resolution of ̴0.7 eV).
– Lorentz and holography: as for the dedicated Titan STEM, beside these spectroscopy capabilities, the Titan3 corrected microscope is fitted with a Lorentz lens and an electrostatic biprism allowing Lorentz and medium resolution electron holography experiments to be carried on.
(3) Quantum Design: MPMS-5S, 2 MPMS-XL, PPMS 9T and PPMS 14T
Relevant details: Quantum Design equipment that allows the characterization of magnetic, thermal, and electrical properties of materials.
(4) Clean Room facilities
Relevant details: Nanolithography comprises all lithographic techniques to fabricate nanodevices using top-down techniques. The lab has two different technologies depending on the scale of the dimensions of the device to be manufactured: Facilities to do Photolithography and electron Nanolithography. The “dual beam” equipment is installed in a Class 10.000 Clean Room and they combine focused ion and electron beams with probe size down to 1 nm. With them it is possible to prepare micro/nanodevices or lamellas for TEM analysis.
Principal investigator:
Myriam H. Aguirre (Coordinator of ULTIMATE-I project)
maguirre(at)unizar.es
Academic function: Professor of Dept. Condensed Matter Physics
Research interests and expertise: Thermoelectric-Thermomagnetic materials and properties, spintronic, control of spin currents, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Structural Related Properties.
Members:
Gerardo F. Goya
goy(at)aunizar.es
Academic function: Senior Scientist and Professor of Dept. Condensed Matter Physics
Research interests and expertise: Research interests and expertise: Hyperthermia, Magnetic Nanoparticles, Superparamagnetism, Synthesis of new nano-structured materials for energy absorption in alternating magnetic fields, Magnetotransfection. Magnetotransduction. Vectorization of magnetic nanoparticles by dendritic cells.
David Serrate Donoso
serrate(at)unizar.es
Academic function: Senior Scientist.
Research interests and expertise: Magnetism at the atomic scale. Spin-polarized STM provides single spin sensitivity, which in combination with lateral atomic manipulation; allow us to assemble artificial nanostructures with designated exchange coupling and function.
Miguel Rengifo Morocho
marengifom(at)gmail.com
Academic function: Postdoc
Research interests and expertise: Device fabrication. Electrical and Transport Measurement. Ferroelectric and Magnetoelectric Measurements. Magnetoresistance. Automation and measurement control.
